True rock n’ roll is about reckless abandonment, willfully taking chances and going against the grain with a freewheeling spirit and boisterous attitude. Danger, energy and inspiration coalesce with dramatic orchestral structure in The Relapse Symphony, who’ve blazed a trail of broken hearts and blissful devastation in a short amount of time and equally evokes the glory of rock’s most fun era and a postmodern future.
The Relapse Symphony combine the bombastic, emotive theatrics of My Chemical Romance, the unstoppably melodic but jagged punk hooks of Green Day and the forceful, confident and party-going atmosphere of Skid Row in a way that’s fresh and original. They’ve taken these components and structured a sound that sounds as vital today as “Youth Gone Wild” back in the day. It’s the sound of the greatest bands of yesterday colliding with the anxiousness of today. The Relapse Symphony is combustible and ready to ignite across the globe.
Bret Von Dehl is a frontman straight from the ‘80s but with the new millennium’s prowess, power and sensibility. Guitarists Alex Foxx and JC Charles blend shredding virtuosity with a keen sense of melody ably backed by the rhythmic pulse of fluid bass player Brandon Kile and powerhouse drummer Tyler Gloyd. The band is staunchly self-aware and meticulous about what they are putting forward, but filled with rock’s unpredictable nature. The Relapse Symphony represent structured chaos, or as JC puts it, “What a good rock band should be.”
The Relapse Symphony may have originated from Washington DC but their style, image, sound and attitude are straight from the Sunset Strip in its debaucheries-filled heyday. The five-song Time’s Running Out EP announced their arrival to the world with passion and intensity, issuing a warning to pretenders that The Relapse Symphony means business. This is no fly-by-night outfit. This is the real rock n’ roll deal.
Even an emerging, burgeoning success isn’t without its pitfalls. Not long after Standby Records signed the band, some personal relationships started to change for The Relapse Symphony. “A lot of people that we thought were friends started to act differently,” laments JC. The band wrote “Burning Bridges” about this situation. “It was also a point during our recording process where we threw the rulebook out the window and decided to really take some chances.”
“Forgotten” is the band’s response to the powerful interactions they’ve had with their fans. “Often our fans tells us that our music has helped them through hard times,” JC says. “We hear that a lot and we don't take it for granted. We were also those kids getting bullied and feeling like outcasts in school growing up. We would turn to our favorite records and shows to help get us through. To know that I can be even a small part of that for someone else makes everything we have done worthwhile.” At the end of the day, The Relapse Symphony wants their fans to know they are not alone and that things can and will get better.
Nostalgia takes center stage in “Make Your Move,” which reflects on past mistakes with an unapologetic candidness. “Writing that song was a little scary for me because of how honest it was,” JC reveals. But he knew their fans would approach the straightforward approach.
“Panic! (Time’s Running Out)” is already a standout within the band. It’s about being a part of something that is no longer going where you want it to and the inner struggle one feels trying to decide where to go next. Sonically, it brings together all of the band’s musical elements.
The Relapse Symphony stand in opposition to trends, to taking the easy path to success. They aren’t trying to be part of any “scene” or subgenre. They don’t want to be known as something they are not. The Relapse Symphony represents controlled chaos, indeed: the combination of determined force of will and unbridled passionate energy. To support The Relapse Symphony is to support an exuberance for life, to join in a movement of sorts about expression and fresh ideas.
In other words, The Relapse Symphony is what rock is all about!